Courage to Refuse> News > High Court of Justice Rules in Favour of CTR and Declares the Organization's Activities Legal

High Court of Justice Rules in Favour of CTR and Declares the Organization's Activities Legal

19/01/2006

The High Court of Justice rejected today a petition which was submitted against CTR a couple of years ago. All Three Supreme Court judges presiding the case ruled in favor of CTR, declaring the organization's legality and confirming its right to continue its activities.

The petition was initiated by four IDF reserve soldiers whose request to close down The Spirit of Conscience, CTR's registered association, was turned down by both the Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and the then Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations, Ruth Shalgi.

While the petitioners argued that CTR's activities are illegal and that the movement incites to rebel, the Supreme Court's judges accepted Mazuz, Shalgi and CTR's position that the movement's activities and its nature are legal, legitimate and definitely within the boundaries of freedom of speech and freedom ofassociation.

Adv. Michael Sfard, who represented CTR in the case, emphasizes the importance of the High Court ruling: "All three judges accepted CTR's distinction between an organization that supports refusniks and an organization that calls for an act of refusal. The ruling also distinguishes legitimateconscientious acts of individuals from illegalacts ofincitement. Thus, this verdict is actually a warning to the Settlers' Rabbis, who explicitly ordered their congregations to refuse orders throughoutTheDisengagement, and might try to evoke rebellion during the next withdrawals".